Animal feeding system

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for feeding animals, particularly pigs, includes an endless conveyor which is arranged to withdraw feed from a silo and to deliver it to one or more vertical dosing chutes. The dry feed is dropped downwardly by the chute into a bin or sty and a liquid such as water is added to the dry feed in quantities to control feed dust and to insure that feed is moist enough to be palatable. The liquid feed is characterized by a connection between a main liquid feed conduit and one or more spray pipes arranged around the discharge of the vertical chute to provide the correct amount of liquid such as water to the feed as it is discharged at a feeding station. In order to insure that the correct amount of liquid is fed to the feed which is being discharged, the quantity of liquid which is discharged is regulated to correspond to the quantity of feed which is discharged. The quantity of liquid which is discharged, in one embodiment, is regulated by a collapsible container which collapses during the discharge of water therefrom to the feed and which, when fully collapsed, discontinues further feeding of liquid. Another embodiment includes a measuring valve connected in the feed line to provide the desired liquid feedout.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Paul lcking Burlo, Westphalia, Germany [21] Appl. No. 804,136

[22] Filed Mar. 4, 1969 [45] Patented Jan. 19, 1971 [73] Assignee Gebr. Schmeing Weseke, Kreis Borken, Germany [32] Priority Mar. 5, 1968 [33] Germany [54] ANIMAL FEEDING SYSTEM 10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl l19/51.5, l19/51.11, 119/56 [51] int. Cl A0lk 05/00,

A01k 39/00, A01k 07/02 [50] Field ofSearch 119/5156, 51.1 1, 53,72, 51.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,422,799 1/1969 Ruffing 119/56 3,433,205 3/1969 Pittard 119/515 Primary Examiner-Aldrich F. Medbery Attorney-McGlew and Toren ABSTRACT: An arrangement for feeding animals, particularly pigs, includes an endless conveyor which is arranged to withdraw feed from a silo and to deliver it to one or more vertical dosing chutes. The dry feed is dropped downwardly by the chute into a bin or sty and a liquid such as water is added to the dry feed in quantities to control feed dust and to insure that feed is moist enough to be palatable. The liquid feed is characterized by a connection between a main liquid feed conduit and one or more spray pipes arranged around the discharge of the vertical chute to provide the correct amount of liquid such as water to the feed as it is discharged at a feeding station. In order to insure that the correct amount of liquid is fed to the feed which is being discharged, the quantity of liquid which is discharged is regulated to correspond to the quantity of feed which is discharged. The quantity of liquid which is discharged, in one embodiment, is regulated by a collapsible container which collapses during the discharge of water therefrom to the feed and which, when fully collapsed, discontinues further feeding of liquid. Another embodiment includes a measuring valve connected in the feed line to provide the desired liquid feedout.

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MI'MNMS 1 ANlMALFEEDl-NG SYSTEM SUMMARY or THE INVENTION This invention relates, in general, to the construction of automatic feeding devices for animals and, in particular, to a new and useful device for supplying dry feed and for providing a, wetting element for the feed whichis fed in proportion to the amount of dry feed which is dispensed.

,ing of, the animals is efiected in a feed trough, it is not difficult to addtthewater to the feed inthe trough in anamount such that the feed is better digested by the animals. But if the feed is .snppiiedtothe animals in a dry form and must be digested by theminthis form, the animal is forced to obtain the {necessary additional water from a wateringttrough. Unless thefeed is moistened before it is eaten by the animals, their intake will be poorandthis will be particularly so with animals which are at Y the end of a fattening period because the animals are frequently too lazy to take the water necessary for digesting thefeed. This will means that feed residues will be left over. These feed residues are undesirable, since they soil the sty and .for;the;further reason that the animal does not take in the .desired quantity of feed so that the breeding process is unnecessarily prolonged.

it was found that if certain admixtures are added to the feed, ,the appetite of the animals will be increased. Such admixtures consist, forexample, of sugar or beef fat and it is not difficult to add these admixtures to the dry feed without soiling the supplytubes, the dosing devices, the closing mechanisms at the feed deliverypoint, etczThe addition of water to the feed at the charging end of the supply apparatus was found impossibiebecauserthe entire plant becomes soiled after a short time andwill no longer be operable.

The invention is based on the problem of providing an arrangement which permits the supply of completely dry or substantially dryfeed to the animal in a feed supply apparatus but ;to nevertheless provide a certain supply of water shortly before ,onduring the intake of the feed to the animals. it is not desirable that an entire quantity of water should be supplied so thatthefeed becomes very thin and liquidy but rather that only enough water is added to moisten the feed so that the appetite of the animal is increased and the soiling of the sty is javoidedpln accordance ,with the invention, the disadvantages ,oftheprior art are overcome by feeding aquantity of liquid to thefeed which is discharged in a dosing quantity into the sty and in anamount comparable to the amount of feed which has been discharged. it is preferable to provide a water delivery adjoining the main water pipein'the range of each feed- ;place and the pipes are arranged to deliver liquid preferably parallel to the feed direction, the quantity of liquid being delivered being regulatedand directed such that it in- ,suresthat the feed does not raiseany dust and that the liquid ,inter nixestherewith as it is discharged.

in ,one embodiment of the invention, the liquid is fed ,thronghaplurality of hoses arranged around the discharge of avertical feed chute. In still another embodiment, the liquid is ,added inthe form of an annular spray directed downwardly .from a ring conduit. The ring conduit may be arranged at the upper. end of a dust pipe or chute so that the water trickles ,down in the outside to form a protective water veil or screen.

,lnthe fnrtheraspect of theinvention, the water for the feed ,isconnected through delivery pipeshaving riser bends which .extendnpwardly tothe main pipe. The construction is such thatwhen-aregulating device provided inthe delivery pipe is ,openedthewater contained in the main water pipe can feed .intothedelivery apparatus only in a controlled quantity regul ated by the .riser bends which permit an outflow only when the water delivery pipe is opened and there is pressure in the ,mainwater feed line.

The water delivery system may include a delivery pipe connected to a vessel with means for regulating its volume and which has an outlet which is opened before the feed is delivered. The main water pipe is closed at the same time in orderto prevent any further water supply. The vessel of regulatable volume may be arranged next to the delivery water pipe and actuated so that whenthe feed is released water is forced out of the vessel into the water delivery pipe, but the main water pipe is maintained, closed to prevent any further supply of water.

The apparatus permits regulation of the feed either by weight or by volume. A throttle which can be regulated in respect to flow per unit of time is advantageously arranged in the feed pipe to operate in conjunction with a shutoff valve in the main water supply which is opened when the feed is released and closed at the end of the feed delivery.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved device, for automatically dispensing a selected quantity of feed into a feeding location such as a sty and wherein means are also provided for automatically dosing the feed which is discharged with 'a quantity of water regulated to produce a desired moistening condition of the feed.

A further object of the invention isto provide a plant-feeding system which includes a continuously operable feeding trough for feeding feed material from the silo to one or more vertical chutes and including a liquid supply arrangement comprising a plurality of tubes arranged around the chute and having means for discharging water in the form of a vertical spray around the feed which is discharged from the chute, and further including means for regulating the quantity of liquid which is directed downwardly in the form of a spray connected between a main feed line and a delivery conduit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feeding device which is simple in design, ruig ged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularly in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRlEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FlG. l is a side elevational view partly broken away and partlyschematic of a pig sty feeding system constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial elevational view of the solid feed chute with a liquid spray attachment according to another embodiment ofthe invention; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of still another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, in particular, the invention embodied therein as indicated in Fit]. 1 comprises an outer silo or food storage 1 which is connected at its outlet end by a feed supply conveyor or delivery apparatus 2 having a conveyor screw therein for conveying the feed from the discharge endof the silo to the individual delivery points. The drive of the screw 3 is effected by means of an eiectric motor 4 arranged at the interior of the feeding enclosure. The feeding apparatus is arranged above a plurality of pig sties 5 and it includes a vertical chute or dosing device 6 for each sty. The outlet end of the vertical chutes 6is connected to a protective dust pipe 7 and the feed which is discharged collects in the form of a heap8, in the sties 5. T

in accordance with the invention, a main water pipe 9 extends above the sties substantially parallel to the feeding supply apparatus 2 and is connected in the range of each dosing device 6 to a water delivery pipe 10. The connection of the water delivery pipe 10 to the main pipe 9 is effected through a riser bend 11. The riser bend 11 is constructed so that when the main water pipe 9 is closed and the water delivery pipe 10 is opened, the water contained in the main water pipe cannot flow out through the opening of the delivery pipe. The shutoff valve 12 is connected into the main water pipe 9 and it operates in association with a float valve 15 which is arranged to float in a vessel 14.

The water which is discharged from the delivery pipe 10 passes through a ring conduit 16, as indicated to the right of FIG. 1, which is provided with a plurality of discharge openings through which the water issues downwardly in the form of a spray. In this embodiment, the ring conduit 16 is arranged at the upper end of the dust pipe 7 so that the water running from the conduit will flow along the pipe and wet the feed which issues at the bottom of the dust pipe and fails downwardly into the heap 8.

In the other embodiment represented in FIG. 1, the delivery pipe 10 connects to a plurality of small flexible tubes or hoses 16a which terminate adjacent the lower end of the dust pipe 7.

In the embodiment indicated in FIG. 1, means are provided which are associated with the conduit 10 for regulating the amount of water which will be discharged with each dose of feed. The means comprises a vessel 17 which may be adjusted in respect to its volume and is constructed in the form of a bellows which may be collapsed. The vessel 17 carries a clamping device 18 which can be adjusted on the water delivery pipe 10 in accordance with a selected setting as determined by graduations defined on this pipe. The size of the volume contained in the vessel 17 is regulated by such adjustment. Inside the vessel, there is provided a chain or cable line 19 which leads to a central control motor 20. The length of this chain or cable 19 corresponds to the maximum extended length of the vessel. It can be seen that the first vessel 17 represented in FIG. 1 has a substantially greater volume in respect to the conveying direction than the vessel 17 located downstream thereof (on the right-hand side shown in the drawing).

The method of operation of the device is as follows:

Simultaneously with the opening of the discharge outlet of the dosing device 6, the motor 20 is started so that the cable line is pulled. By pulling the cable line 19, the compressible vessel 17 is reduced in its volume and the water contained in the vessel is forced to flow through the water delivery pipe 10 to the ring conduit 16 or the flexible hoses 16a. A return flow of the water from the main water pipe 9 will not be possible because when the cable line 19 is pulled and the vessel 17 compressed, the float 15 will be caused to rise in the vessel 14 and shutoff the supply valve 12. A further rise of the float is not possible because the float is arranged in a vessel of a height selected to correspond to that of the riser bends 11 so that the water can issue through the delivery pipe 10 only to the quantity desired. Because of the riser bends 11, however, only the water forced out of the vessel 17 will be fed to the delivery pipe 10.

In the embodiment indicated in FIG. 2, there is provided a vessel 17a which is adjustable in volume and which is attached directly to the water delivery pipe 10. In this arrangement, control is effected in a manner such that when the feed supply apparatus is opened a flow valve 23 in the delivery pipe 10 will be opened, while at the same time, the regulating valve 12, as indicated in FIG. 1, in the main supply line will be shut. Due to the fact that the water delivery pipe 10 is connected through a riser 11 to the main water pipe 9, the water contained in the main water pipe cannot flow out so that a satisfactory regulation in the amount of water to be added to the feed pipe is possible.

In FIG. 3, there is shown another embodiment in which the regulation in the amount of water is not effected by the vessel, but can be varied in accordance with weight or volume by a throttle 21 arranged in the water delivery pipe 10. The throttle 21 regulates the rate of flow of the water per unit of time. This plant works so that the pressure reducing valve 22 is installed in the main water pipe 9. This insures a constant pressure in the following main water pipe section. A valve 24a arranged in the main water pipe 9 and controlled through an automatic switching device such as a clock 24 is actuated to produce a regulatable amount of water from the feed pipe to the delivery pipe for each selected dosage.

It can be seen that an amount of water adapted to the respective amount of feed can be supplied to the feed which issues from the perspective dust pipe so that the dry feed dosage is supplied with a quantity of water to cause the feed to become only wet enough to stimulate the appetite of the animal and without soiling the sty.

Iclaim:

1. An animal feeding system for delivering a digestible feed to one or more animal feeding stations, comprising a tubular conduit for conveying substantially dry feed from a hopper to a feeding station, conveyor means associated with said conduit for advancing the feed therealong, at least one substantially vertically arranged feeding chute connected to said conduit and extending downwardly therefrom to a feeding station and adapted to receive the feed being advanced through said conduit and deliver it to the feeding station, and means surrounding said feeding chute for delivering dosable amounts of water around the periphery of said feed chute to the feed which is discharged from the chute at the feeding station.

2. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering a dosable amount of water to said feed discharged by the chute at the feeding station includes a main water pipe extending along said conveyor, and a separate feed delivery pipe for each feeding station connected to said main water pipe and extending to the feeding station and having means for regulating the quantity of water which is discharged therefrom at the feeding station.

3. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, including a protective dust pipe extending downwardly from said chute, said means for delivering dosable amounts of water-in:

cluding a water conduit ring extending around said dust pipe and having a plurality of discharge openings for directing water downwardly in a spray around said dust pipe into the feed issuing from the dust pipe.

4. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering dosable amounts of water includes a main feed conduit extending to said feeding chute, a delivery conduit connected to said main water feed conduit and including a ring conduit extending around said delivery chute, a plurality of individual tubes" extending downwardly from said ring conduit and terminating into discharges adjacent the lower end of said delivery chute for directing the water onto the feed which exits from said delivery chute.

5. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering dosable amounts of water to the feed includes an annular ring conduit adjacent said feeding chute, a dust tube extending downwardly from said feeding tube, said ring conduit being arranged to discharge water over the surface of said dust tube to permit it to trickle downwardly onto the feed exiting therefrom.

6. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering dosable amounts of water to the feed includes a main feed pipe, a riser bend connected to said main feed pipe and extending downwardly through a discharge adjacent the feed being discharged from said feeding chute, and means associated with said riser bend for regulating the quantity of water which is fed therethrough to the discharge.

7. An animal feeding system, according to claim 6, wherein said means for regulating the quantity of water which is discharged through the discharge includes a collapsible vessel," means for extending the vessel to fill the vessel with water from the main feed pipe, and means for collapsing the vessel during operation to discharge only the quantity of liquid therein through the discharge.

8. An animal feeding system, according to claim 7, including a driving motor connected to said vessel for collapsing the vessel during operation thereof, and means associated with .said main feed water conduit for cutting off the supply of liquid which will be fed to said vessel and which will be discharged into the feed.

10. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering a dosable amount of water to the feed includes a main supply pipe for water extending to said delivery chute, a delivery pipe extending from said main supply pipe and having a discharge arranged adjacent the discharge of the feed from said feeding chute, a shut-off valve connected in said main water feed pipe, and a throttle valve in said delivery pipe having means for permitting a selected quantity ofwater to flow per unit of time therethrough. 

1. An animal feeding system for delivering a digestible feed to one or more animal feeding stations, comprising a tubular conduit for conveying substantially dry feed from a hopper to a feeding station, conveyor means associated with said conduit for advancing the feed therealong, at least one substantially vertically arranged feeding chute connected to said conduit and extending downwardly therefrom to a feeding station and adapted to receive the feed being advanced through said conduit and deliver it to the feeding station, and means surrounding said feeding chute for delivering dosable amounts of water around the periphery of said feed chute to the feed which is discharged from the chute at the feeding station.
 2. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering a dosable amount of water to said feed discharged by the chute at the feeding station includes a main water pipe extending along said conveyor, and a separate feed delivery pipe for each feeding station connected to said main water pipe and extending to the feeding statioN and having means for regulating the quantity of water which is discharged therefrom at the feeding station.
 3. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, including a protective dust pipe extending downwardly from said chute, said means for delivering dosable amounts of water including a water conduit ring extending around said dust pipe and having a plurality of discharge openings for directing water downwardly in a spray around said dust pipe into the feed issuing from the dust pipe.
 4. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering dosable amounts of water includes a main feed conduit extending to said feeding chute, a delivery conduit connected to said main water feed conduit and including a ring conduit extending around said delivery chute, a plurality of individual ''''tubes'''' extending downwardly from said ring conduit and terminating into discharges adjacent the lower end of said delivery chute for directing the water onto the feed which exits from said delivery chute.
 5. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering dosable amounts of water to the feed includes an annular ring conduit adjacent said feeding chute, a dust tube extending downwardly from said feeding tube, said ring conduit being arranged to discharge water over the surface of said dust tube to permit it to trickle downwardly onto the feed exiting therefrom.
 6. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering dosable amounts of water to the feed includes a main feed pipe, a riser bend connected to said main feed pipe and extending downwardly through a discharge adjacent the feed being discharged from said feeding chute, and means associated with said riser bend for regulating the quantity of water which is fed therethrough to the discharge.
 7. An animal feeding system, according to claim 6, wherein said means for regulating the quantity of water which is discharged through the discharge includes a ''''collapsible vessel,'''' means for extending the vessel to fill the vessel with water from the main feed pipe, and means for collapsing the vessel during operation to discharge only the quantity of liquid therein through the discharge.
 8. An animal feeding system, according to claim 7, including a driving motor connected to said vessel for collapsing the vessel during operation thereof, and means associated with said main feed water conduit for cutting off the supply of water to said conduit after said vessel is moved in a collapsing direction.
 9. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering dosable amounts of water to the feed includes a main conduit, an adjustable vessel located adjacent said main conduit and having a discharge for discharging water to the feed which is directed out of said feeding chute, a connecting pipe extending from said main feed conduit to said vessel, and means for adjusting said vessel in respect to the discharge of the connecting pipe for varying the quantity of liquid which will be fed to said vessel and which will be discharged into the feed.
 10. An animal feeding system, according to claim 1, wherein said means for delivering a dosable amount of water to the feed includes a main supply pipe for water extending to said delivery chute, a delivery pipe extending from said main supply pipe and having a discharge arranged adjacent the discharge of the feed from said feeding chute, a shut-off valve connected in said main water feed pipe, and a throttle valve in said delivery pipe having means for permitting a selected quantity of water to flow per unit of time therethrough. 